This section of the trail begins in Alleghany National Forest in Pennsylvania off PA 346 near Willow Bay Recreational Area.  This section of the trail in Pennsylvania is the North Country National Scenic Trail.

After ascending for just over a mile the trail reaches the New York State Line and the western terminus of the 562 mile Finger Lakes Trail.  The North Country Trail will coincide with the FLT for the next 370+ miles.  The Finger Lakes Trail continues on to the Catskills and ends at the junction with the Long Path.  This point is also the southern terminus of the Conservation Trail.  The Conservation Trail coincides with the FLT/NCT for nearly sixty miles before turning away on its journey to Niagara Falls, Canada and the Bruce Trail. 

As you enter New York State, you leave Alleghany National Forest and enter Allegany State Park.  There is a trail register here.  In another four miles you'll reach Park Trail #1.  The FLT/NCT turns right and follows Park Trail #1.  Turning left will take you to an old fire tower on Mount Tuscarora.

Park Trail 1 leading to old Mt Tuscarora Fire Tower (picture by Kirk Doyle)

In another two miles you'll reach the Willis Creek Lean To.  This is the first of three lean tos along this section of the trail.  The trail crosses Willis Creek and will soon reach Coon Run Road, then Coon Run.  Watch the white blazes.  Trail follows old grades for awhile.  At 10.2 miles from PA 346, cross ASP 3 and begin to ascend Mount Oneida.  In two miles you'll reach the highest point along the trail on Mount Oneida at 2189 feet.

Willis Creek Lean To (picture by Kirk Doyle)

After a descent and crossing of streams plus passing an old lean to, in 3/4 mile you'll reach Stony Brook Lean To.  This is the second of three lean tos along this section of the trail.  At a junction of Park Trail #9, you'll be at the highest point on the trail in Allegany State Park at 2271 feet.  It's another 3/4 mile before you'll reach and cross ASP 1.  There is a large parking area near the crossing.

old abandoned lean-to (picture by Kirk Doyle)

The trail is level before a gradual descent, then climbs, then descends again.  At 3.5 miles away from ASP 2, reach the junction of a blue blazed trail that goes 2.2 miles to the Park Administration Building on Red House Lake.  There is an old dirt floor lean to at a stream.  The NCT/FLT turns left and climbs to the top of a ridge before descending to the junction of an orange blazed trail in 0.5 miles.  The orange trail lead 0.5 miles to the blue trail.

In another 0.5 miles reach the Beck Hollow Lean To.  This is the last lean to along this section of the trail in Allegany State Park and the last lean to along the trail for nearly the next 90 miles until the Camp Sam Wood Lean To.  The next available camping spot along the trail is about 12 miles away in Bucktooth State Forest.

Beck Hollow Lean To (picture by Kirk Doyle)

There's another 2.5 miles of hiking before reaching ASP 2.  There are views as you descend toward the park road.  This section of the FLT/NCT ends at the intersection of Bay State Road and ASP 2.  This section of the Finger Lakes/North Country Trail (as well as the Conservation Trail) is one of the most popular sections of the trail in New York State.  The trail travels twenty miles within Allegany State Park. 

 Look below for maps and trail description of this section of the trail.

 For a closer look at the FLT/NCT in Allegany State Park, click on the maps below.

   

Map 1                Map 2                   Map 3

 

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